


The Morning After The Night Before

by telperion_15



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Drama, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-08
Updated: 2010-06-08
Packaged: 2017-10-10 00:14:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/93116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telperion_15/pseuds/telperion_15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Jack struggle to communicate on the subject of their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Morning Comes

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for 'The Doctor Dances'.

"So, when do I get to check out the TARDIS's circuits?"

There was a suggestive leer in Jack's voice that the Doctor didn't particularly appreciate, and he lifted his head to tell the Captain so. Unfortunately, he had forgotten he was lying under one of the central console's lowest points, so instead of a witty comeback all Jack heard was a thud followed by some muffled cursing.

"Are you alright?" he asked, a flicker of concern in his voice.

"Oh, I'm fine," grumbled the Doctor. "A rogue Time Agent is flirting with my ship, and I've just bumped my head on an extremely important piece of circuitry, causing it to completely fuse together. Everything's just peachy."

Jack grinned. The Doctor loved to exaggerate. If the circuit were really that important the TARDIS would be tumbling toward a crash-landing right about now. But since they were still calmly moving through space, Jack knew that the Doctor's tendency toward melodrama was asserting itself.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," he said. "I wouldn't like to think that your performance was in any way affected." The suggestive note was back, and beneath the console the Doctor grimaced, only partly from the pain.

Hauling himself out from under the console, the Time Lord glared at Jack. "Don't you know how to do anything other than flirt?" he asked. "Although I must say, you seem very amateurish. Goodness only knows how you manage to get so many people into bed with you."

Jack gaped. He was very proud of his flirting technique. It had never failed him yet – at least, not with anyone who wasn't a 900-year-old Time Lord. Jack was beginning to think that the Doctor was impervious to charm, especially if that last comment was anything to go by.

"Just because you don't understand the value of human companionship, doesn't mean the rest of us have to go through life alone!" he retorted, resorting to insults to cover up his embarrassment.

An unreadable expression flickered across the Doctor's face. It was only there for a second, but from it Jack deduced that he had hit a nerve. Suddenly he wanted to take back what he had just said, but it was too late.

"The value of human companionship!" the Doctor mocked bitterly. "As far as I can see human companionship doesn't have any value."

Jack was insulted. "Then why are Rose and I here?"

The Doctor smiled, but it was a hollow shadow of its normal brilliance. "Well, I've got have something to entertain me on my jaunts across time and space," he explained, talking as if Jack was a five-year-old boy and not an experienced Time Agent.

Jack smiled back, but like the Doctor's it wasn't up to its normal standard. "Entertainment. Right," he said. "Well, if you'll excuse me, Doctor, I'll just go and tell Rose that we need to brush up on our cabaret act. After all, we wouldn't want to disappoint the great and mighty Time Lord." And turning on his heel, he left the control room.

* * *

Watching Jack's retreating back, the Doctor felt his face fall and his shoulders slump. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but he was fairly certain that he had just done some severe damage to his relationship with the good Captain. Jack had only been travelling on the TARDIS for a few weeks, and although the Doctor had tried to keep himself aloof, he couldn't help warming to the happy-go-lucky American Time Agent. He had tried to hide it, of course, but Rose had seen through him pretty quickly. And he was reasonably sure that Jack himself wasn't fooled by the gruff exterior. Hence the licentious behaviour.

The Doctor grimaced again. What he had said earlier was completely untrue – he was actually pretty impressed by Jack's flirting. Anyone who could charm aliens from countless different worlds had to be doing something right. Truth be told, the Doctor wasn't completely unaffected by Jack's charm himself. Which was probably why he had reverted to sarcasm. And unintentionally got Jack's back up. And ended up pulling the 'mighty Time Lord' act.

Sighing, the Doctor went back to work on the TARDIS's console. Next time he saw Jack he would have to apologise. And he would have to let the Captain know that he had a place on board the TARDIS. As far as the Doctor was concerned, Jack was here to stay. He just wasn't sure that Jack knew that.

* * *

"What the hell is going on?"

The Doctor tried to ignore the irate blond girl standing in front of him, but since she was blocking the corridor, it was proving to be a difficult task. He could always turn around and go back the way he had come, he supposed, but there was no way he was running away from a teenager, and a human one at that. So he fixed her with a non-committal stare, hoping that she would back down in the face of his indifference.

No such luck. Rose stared right back at him, hands on her hips, and demanded again to know what was going on.

"I can't imagine what you're talking about," the Doctor said wearily.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! What is it between you and Jack? Or perhaps I should say, what _isn't_ it between you, since you haven't spoken to each other for two days?"

Seeing that it was no use denying it, the Doctor acknowledged her tiredly. "We just had a small disagreement, that's all."

"A small disagreement – is that what you call it? Jack will barely even look at you, and when he does he looks like he wants to kill you!"

"What do you want me to do?" the Doctor complained. "I can't very well apologise to someone who doesn't even want to be in the same room as me."

"You can and you will, even if I have to lock you in a room together. I don't really care what's gone on between you, but can you please sort it out? It's like living in a freezer, being around you two."

The Doctor sighed. "Very well. Do you know where he is?"

"Actually I do. He's in the control room trying to fix that panel you bumped your head on."

"What!" the Doctor almost yelled. "I didn't give him permission to work on the TARDIS!" All thoughts of an apology forgotten, he took off towards the control room.

* * *

Jack stood up, wiping his hands and surveying his handiwork with satisfaction. He knew the Doctor would probably kill him for touching the TARDIS's circuits, but he couldn't help but feel pleased at a job well done. He doubted that even the Doctor could have done a better job.

Suddenly the door from the interior of the TARDIS crashed open, and the Doctor barrelled through it. Jack sighed. It looked like his murder was going to take place sooner than he had anticipated.

"Get away from there!"

Holding his hands up placatingly, Jack stepped slowly away from the console. "Relax, Doctor. I haven't hurt the TARDIS. If anything, she might even be running a little more smoothly."

The Doctor threw him a murderous look, and crouched down to examine the circuit in question. Jack thought he could detect the exact moment when the Doctor realised that the TARDIS was in fact fine, and that Jack had actually done a good job. It had something to do with the way the Doctor's shoulders slumped slightly, as if he had realised that his anger was completely unjustified.

"I'm sorry."

Jack was stunned. "Pardon me?"

"You heard me the first time. I'm not going to say it again."

And Jack knew that that was as much as he was going to get. He decided to take the proffered olive branch. "Apology accepted."

"You've actually done quite a good job here," the Doctor said grudgingly. "I might have to set you to work on some other little problems."

"Just point me in the right direction," replied Jack, grinning. "I think the TARDIS likes me."

The Doctor smiled back at him. "That she does," he said. Then he took a deep breath. It was time to straighten a few things out, once and for all. "And so do I. Contrary to appearances," he added.

Jack was touched. He knew what that admission had cost the Doctor. "Ah, Doctor, I didn't know you cared."

Of course I do, said the Doctor silently. More than you know. But he kept his face neutral, unwilling to give Jack any more ammunition.

His ruse appeared to have worked. Jack had turned away, and was examining some of the TARDIS's other circuits. The Doctor moved to stand next to him. He really wanted to trust Jack with the TARDIS, but something in his Time Lord DNA was having trouble giving up complete control. At least, that was what he told himself. There was definitely no other reason that he wanted to stand near Jack.

Jack, however, appeared to have not even noticed the Doctor looming over him. He was enthusing about the TARDIS's systems, using the same tone of voice that he employed when talking about a really attractive woman…or man. Listening to him, the Doctor felt his reserved exterior slipping away, and soon he and the Captain were involved in a full-blown discussion about the merits of resonator circuits, parallel wiring and automatic balance devices.

"You know, if this was all it was going to take to make you drop the 'aloof and alone' act, I would have started tinkering with the TARDIS a lot earlier."

The Doctor was taken aback. Suddenly he realised just how easily he had fallen into Jack's trap. The Captain's usual techniques hadn't been working, so he had ventured into the Doctor's territory, and somehow made it his own.

"And if I'd suspected that any 'tinkering' was going on, you would have been out of the TARDIS quicker that you could say 'Jumping Jack Flash'," joked the Doctor, trying to make light of the situation. He was feeling very vulnerable. During the course of their discussion on the finer points of time-ships, he had somehow ended up lying on the floor, trying to show Jack something underneath the central console, with Jack crouched over him. The feral grin on Jack's face was now making him wish that he was not flat on his back, and also that he was several feet further away from the Captain.

Still, at the same time, he couldn't deny that a part of him just wanted to let go and comply with whatever Jack had in mind. Sometimes he got very tired of denying himself some of the pleasures life had to offer. But something always stopped him, particularly in Jack's case, since he was ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure that Jack was only looking for another conquest to add to his list. Not that Jack would ever purposely hurt him. His brain just wasn't wired up for commitment, and he just didn't stop to think that it might not be the same for everyone else.

"Earth to Doctor. Come in, Doctor."

The Doctor started slightly. His mind had wandered. Not a good thing to happen when in the company of a Time Agent intent on seducing him.

Jack's grin widened still further. "Glad to see you're back with me, Doc. I want to have your full attention when I do this."

And then Jack leaned forward and kissed him. And it was no chaste peck, either. This was a full-on kiss, one that told the Doctor that Jack had been waiting to do it for rather a long time.

For a moment the Doctor was stunned into immobility. He couldn't think or react. Then something clicked in his brain, and suddenly he was returning the kiss with as much passion as Jack. All thoughts of denial and aloofness went out of the window as he grasped Jack's shoulders, trying to pull him closer. Only when he felt Jack wobble slightly did he realise that they were not in the best position for their current activities.

However, it was too late. Abruptly Jack broke off the kiss, and with a muffled curse pitched forward, falling on top of the Doctor. Silence reigned for a few seconds, and then both men dissolved into laughter.

Some minutes later, when the hysteria had died down, Jack looked down at the Doctor from his position sprawled on top of him. "Well, this is not quite how I pictured ending up on top of you, but it'll do." He wiggled his hips suggestively, and the Doctor's laughter suddenly fled as desire flared inside him.

The feeling must have shown on his face because Jack's eyes widened suddenly and he drew back slightly.

The Doctor, however, wasn't about to let him go far, and he grabbed Jack's shoulders, pulling him down for another kiss.

Jack was a little shocked. He had never seen the expression on a person's face switch from amusement to something so intense so quickly. He knew the Doctor's moods were very changeable, but this was a little scary. However, as he felt the Doctor's lips on his again, he quickly decided that, scary or not, it was also very, very good.

He couldn't quite believe he was in this situation. He had carried out his plan with this goal in mind, but part of him had never really believed that he would get this far. He hadn't really thought he would break through the Doctor's façade. Although it would have been one of the greatest conquests of his life.

Except that it wasn't about conquest. It was about getting to know the man underneath all that manic energy and those broad smiles. He had caught glimpses of it already, right from when they had first met. The pure joy he had shown when everyone had been cured of the Chula nanogenes' meddling. The slight embarrassment at having a sonic screwdriver. The way he had danced with Rose, not even noticing when he had been transported aboard Jack's own time-ship. But that last memory was too uncomfortable, and Jack had pushed it away, not wanting to consider that possible obstacle to his plan.

And now it appeared that Rose had never been an obstacle at all, because here he was, lying on top of a Time Lord, going out of his mind on the effects of two kisses. But two kisses weren't enough. Jack wanted more. He wanted everything. He wanted the Doctor to trust him. He wanted to give himself to the Doctor. He wanted it all.

The depth of these emotions scared Jack just as the Doctor's passion had. He wasn't used to having these feelings. Love 'em and leave 'em – that was his motto. Except that he couldn't do that in this case. That would mean he would have to leave the TARDIS. And Rose. And the Doctor. And that was not part of his plan at all.

Suddenly he realised that the Doctor had stopped kissing him, and he cursed himself for not giving the experience his full attention. The Doctor was watching him, the look on his face not dissimilar to Jack's own look of seduction.

"Something wrong, Captain?"

"Nothing at all," replied Jack. "Except…do we really want to be doing this here? I don't know about you, but wiring and metal floors don't really do it for me when it comes to these kind of 'activities.'"

"Point taken," said the Doctor. "Come on, then." Pushing Jack off him, he jumped up, striding off across the control room.

For a moment Jack just sat where he had been pushed, admiring the view as the Doctor walked away from him. There was something predatory in the way the Doctor moved. You could almost say he prowled, and it gave Jack the shivers watching him.

"Are you coming, or what?"

Jack started and realised that his mind had wandered again. He really needed to stop doing that. If there was anyone that deserved his full attention, it was the Doctor. He jumped to his feet and walked over to the Doctor. "Oh, I'm definitely coming," he said, putting just the right amount of emphasis on the words to make the Doctor's breath hitch and his eyes narrow. Strolling past the Doctor, he headed down one of the TARDIS's many corridors, not having to check behind him to know that the Doctor was following.

* * *

Jack stirred, and then smiled with his eyes still closed. He was remembering the previous night's events, and the memories were very, _very_ pleasant. The Doctor was a very passionate lover, so much so that Jack knew he was going to be sore for some time to come. But it was definitely worth it. He felt like he had seen a side of the Doctor that no one else had ever seen. He felt privileged to have been allowed that chance, and it was not a privilege he wanted to lose. At one point during their love-making, Jack had felt like his body was almost merging with the Doctor's, and the moment of climax had almost blown his mind away. He had held the Doctor close, unwilling to let go, unwilling to lose that contact. It was a sensation that had made him feel whole, which was an unusual occurrence for him ever since the Time Agency had stolen his memories

Stirring again, he reached out across the bed to pull the Doctor close. But his hand encountered only empty air. Confused, he blearily opened his eyes to find that he was alone in the bed, and not a trace of the Doctor remained.

Trying not to let the Doctor's absence trouble him, Jack rose and pulled on his clothes. Deciding that he would most likely find the Doctor back in the control room, he headed in that direction.

* * *

The Doctor cursed under his breath as he managed to fuse the wrong bit of wiring for the third time in a row. Nothing was going right this morning, and he knew why. He was distracted. He was trying his best not to be, but he couldn't help it. Memories of the previous night kept intruding, no matter how much he tried to keep them at bay.

What had he been thinking? Actually, that was the problem, he corrected himself. He hadn't been thinking. For once he had let go of all his cares and troubles, but had just landed himself with a whole lot more as a result.

He couldn't banish the memory of what had happened between him and Jack, and it was proving to be a problem. It was his own fault, he knew. He couldn't ignore Jack and his charm and so he had given in to it, allowing himself for one brief moment to entertain the thought that Jack might reciprocate his feelings. And for a while he had really thought that the Captain did see him as more than just a conquest. It had been pretty hard to ignore the desperate way that Jack had clung to him during their love-making, as if the Doctor could make him whole again.

But upon waking up that morning, the Doctor had looked at Jack, still sleeping next to him, and realised that this was Captain Jack Harkness he was in bed with. Ladies man. Mans' man. Anyone's man, really. But not the Doctor's man. At least, not for longer than one night. And those thoughts had driven him from the bed and away from Jack, sending him fleeing to the control room, where he could curse himself for being totally stupid with out any interruptions from charming American Time Agents.

Or so he had thought.

"Good morning."

Jack's voice, although still slightly slurred from sleep, was dripping with contentment, charm, and a little bit of smugness. The sound of it made the Doctor want to pin the Captain against the wall and kiss him until he had no breath left in his body. But he stamped down on that thought as soon as it occurred. He wouldn't ever allow himself to think about Jack in that way again. That way lay heartache, and he was not about to let his emotions be played with.

"Something wrong, Doctor?"

The Doctor plastered a cheerful grin on his face. "Nothing at all," he said, turning to face Jack. "I just remembered that I promised to take Rose home to visit her mother today, that's all. The thought of seeing Jackie Tyler always makes me a little nervous. I always feel like I'm about to get a slap."

"Well, maybe I can distract you from your nerves," replied Jack, moving towards the Doctor, his intentions clear on his face. But the Doctor was not about to give in.

"Don't worry, I'll be alright," he said, sliding past Jack in an effort to escape.

But Jack wasn't about to give in either. He could tell something was going on. The Doctor's smile was too forced, and his voice had a brittle edge to it. Sticking out his arm, he blocked the Doctor's escape route.

"What's really wrong, Doctor?"

The Doctor sighed. He wasn't about to tell Jack what he had concluded when he had woken up. The Captain would undoubtedly be hurt that he could be perceived in that way, even if he couldn't deny it was the truth.

However, Jack was apparently more perceptive than the Doctor had given him credit for. "You regret what happened, don't you," he said flatly, making it statement and not a question.

"No!" The Doctor's response was emphatic, almost angry. "No," he said again more quietly. "I don't regret it. It's just…well, it was just one night, and let's leave it at that, shall we?"

Jack felt like a gas mask was trying to force its way up his throat. "Oh," he said in a choked voice. And then louder: "So that's it then. One night. You get what you want, and then you move on."

The Doctor was stung by the accusation in Jack's voice. He responded without thinking. "Well, isn't that what you do? Take what you want and then move on? Captain Jack Harkness, everybody's friend. So charming, but don't expect it to last for more than a day." Immediately he had said it, he regretted the words and wanted to take them back. But it was too late.

Something in Jack's face hardened. "So, that's what you really think is it?" he asked bitterly. "Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint you by remaining around any longer, then. I'll be out of your hair as soon as we get to Earth."

And leaving a very dismayed Doctor in his wake, Jack stalked off back to his room.


	2. Dawn Breaks

"I thought I told you to apologise to Jack."

The Doctor sighed. There was no getting away from Rose when she had a bee in her bonnet about something. "I did apologise to him," he replied. "Extremely wholeheartedly, in fact. Now we're arguing about something else."

"Well, that explains why he tried to sneak a packed bag out of the TARDIS when we arrived earlier. He's leaving, Doctor."

The Doctor said nothing.

"Aren't you going to do anything? You're just going to let him leave?"

"What Jack chooses to do is his own affair. It's got nothing to do with me."

"But you can't let him leave! I'll miss him," exclaimed Rose. "And you'll miss him too. You know you will."

Of course I will, the Doctor replied silently. But it's too late. Outwardly, he maintained a neutral expression, while inside his heart was screaming that he demand of Rose where exactly Jack had gone.

"Rose!"

"Damn!" cursed Rose. Her mother always interrupted at the wrong time. "Coming, Mum," she called back. "Don't think I'm going to let this go," she warned the Doctor. "I still want you to sort this out. As a matter of fact, if you care at all, I think Jack's in the pub down on the Wells Road. I distinctly heard him mutter something about needing a drink." And having unwittingly answered the Doctor's silent request, Rose hurried off to see what Jackie wanted.

* * *

Jack sat alone at a table in the corner of the pub. At 11am on a Tuesday morning the place was fairly empty, and what customers there were had obviously decided to keep away from the glowering stranger in the corner.

He was starting to have second thoughts about his decision to leave the TARDIS. The early twenty-first century wasn't exactly the most scintillating place to be. He could see why Rose had decided to go time-travelling with an exotic alien. And who knew when he might find another time-ship to get him out of here? He doubted that many time-travellers visited this period in history. The Doctor didn't really count. His slightly weird fondness for this time and place was just one of the eccentricities of his character.

Jack grimaced. There was just one problem with returning to the TARDIS. The Doctor. Much as one half of him still wanted to throw himself at the Time Lord, and damn the consequences, the other half was still bitterly hurt by what the Doctor apparently thought of him.

No, Jack decided. Whatever the consequences, he was staying here. Even if the beer _was_ disgusting. Sighing, the Captain stood up. If he was going to make it on twenty-first century Earth, he really needed to find a better bar.

"Leaving so soon? I thought I might buy you a drink."

"And why would you want to do that?" Jack pushed past the Doctor, not even bothering to look at him.

"To apologise…again."

"Yeah, well, I don't need any more of your apologies. Clearly they're not worth the breath they take to say."

"Jack, what I said…I don't really think that about you."

Jack snorted. "Doctor, you didn't make those words up out of thin air."

"Okay, so when we first met, maybe I wasn't all that impressed by you," said the Doctor. "I did think that you were far too smooth to be sincere. But I don't think that any more," he hastened to add, as Jack's eyes narrowed. "I can see now that it's all a front. You're much better than that charmer you pretend to be."

Jack was floored. The Doctor had read him perfectly. No one had ever seen through his act before. It was somewhat disconcerting. He suddenly felt extremely vulnerable. "Wow," he said. And then again: "Wow." He was floundering, not exactly sure what to say.

"Do you hear that?" the Doctor said suddenly.

"Hear what?" replied Jack, a little confused by the abrupt change in topic.

"Screaming," said the Doctor shortly. Suddenly he took off, running out of the bar and into the street.

Jack followed hurriedly. Emerging into the open air, he could now hear the screaming for himself. It was coming from the direction of the block of flats that Rose and Jackie lived in. Turning, Jack saw the Doctor racing off in that direction. Cursing loudly, he sprinted after the Time Lord.

* * *

"Rose! Rose!"

The Doctor burst through the door of Jackie Tyler's flat and skidded to a stop, eyes searching everywhere for signs of danger. When nothing immediately presented itself he took a cautious step forward, every muscle tense and ready for action. Which meant that when Jack crashed through the door behind him, he spun round in a flash, sonic screwdriver aimed and ready.

"Whoa, relax Doctor. It's only me!" exclaimed Jack. Then he looked at the sonic DIY tool that was being aimed at his chest. "Er, what exactly were you planning on doing with that? It's not exactly the world's most deadly weapon."

A little embarrassed, the Doctor lowered the screwdriver. "Force of habit," he said. "It's the only thing I ever have on me."

"Well, thankfully you're not the only one with a something sonic to point at people," said Jack, gesturing with his sonic blaster. "What's say you let me go in front from now on, just in case?"

"Actually, I don't think it matters," replied the Doctor. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here. There's no sign of Rose or anything dangerous. And that includes Jackie."

"Er, Doctor, you'd better look at this." Jack had glanced into the living room, and hadn't liked what he saw. The Doctor came and stood next to him in the doorway, and they both surveyed the carnage. The place had been ripped apart by what looked like a whole crowd of very angry Slitheen. Of either of the Tyler women there was still no sign.

"Where could they be?" said Jack, frustrated. Angrily, he kicked the remains of one of Jackie's dining chairs, sending shards of wood spinning past the Doctor's head.

"Hey! Mind the ears! Violence won't solve anything, you know. We need to think logically about this. We didn't pass them coming up the stairs, so they must have gone up to the roof."

Just then, as if to prove him right, another scream rent the air…above them. The Doctor allowed himself a brief smug smile before taking off again, this time in the direction of the roof.

* * *

Having managed to keep up this time, Jack arrived on the roof just steps behind the Doctor. Emerging from the stairwell, they were confronted by a rather interesting scene. Rose and Jackie were huddled together in one corner of the roof, while about halfway between them and where Jack and the Doctor were standing was an eight-foot tall purple alien that seemed to be made up almost entirely of writhing tentacles. Hovering next to the edge of the building was a spaceship that looked barely large enough to contain the alien. Jack didn't even want to speculate how the creature managed to squeeze itself inside its craft.

The alien was slowly moving towards Rose and Jackie, as if it knew that it finally had its quarry cornered, that its prey had nowhere to go. Rose had spotted the Time Lord and Time Agent as soon as they appeared, and was now surreptitiously trying to mouth something that looked like "help" without the alien noticing.

The Doctor, however, had no intention of trying to remain inconspicuous. "Hey, you!" he called casually, strolling across the roof towards the creature. "That's my friend you're about to attack. If you don't mind, I'd rather you didn't. And I'm sure _she'd_ rather you didn't attack her mother, either."

But the alien didn't appear to have noticed the Doctor at all. It continued its advance towards Rose and Jackie without any variation in pace. Jack, however, suddenly realised that some of the creature's tentacles were no longer writhing in a completely uncoordinated manner. In fact, several of them were moving very markedly in the Doctor's direction.

"Doctor, look out!" Jack launched himself across the roof, jumping in front of the Doctor as one of the tentacles suddenly uncoiled itself, whip-lashing across the space between the alien and the Time Lord.

As he watched the tentacle speed towards him, Jack felt almost as if time had slowed down. It was strange thing, he contemplated, to watch your own death approaching and not be able to do a thing to stop it.

However, apparently it was not Jack's time to die yet. With lightning reflexes the Doctor grabbed Jack's arm, pulling him backwards. As he fell, the Captain thought he felt the breeze on his face as the tentacle missed him by inches. Then he landed on the Doctor and the wind was knocked out of him, leaving him gasping for breath. As he fought to drag air into his lungs, Jack was vaguely aware that the Doctor had leapt to his feet again and was shouting something. Then there was a flash of blue light, followed by a terrible smell.

Wheezing, Jack rolled over to see that the alien had been reduced to a pile of purple goo, with the Doctor standing over it holding Jack's own sonic blaster. Rose and Jackie seemed to have recovered somewhat, and were gingerly edging closer to the now deceased creature, Rose demanding to know what it was and where it had come from.

"Haven't a clue," replied the Doctor cheerfully. "For all I know it could have come from Mars. Although, come to think of it, red would clash terribly with this shade of purple."

Rose and the Doctor both started laughing, and even Jackie cracked a smile. Jack attempted to laugh too, but his lungs protested so he started coughing instead. Rose immediately noticed, and hurried over to help him up and pat him on the back. Slowly they made their way back towards the stairwell, with Jackie trailing behind.

"Aren't you coming, Doctor?" called Rose, and Jack turned to see that the Time Lord was now contemplating the alien's ship, which was still hovering next to the building.

"I'll catch up in a bit," the Doctor called back. "Can't leave this hanging here, can I? Someone might start asking questions. I'll see you later."

* * *

A couple of hours later, Jack was sitting in the control room with his feet propped up on the console, when the Doctor appeared through the front door of the TARDIS, whistling cheerfully.

"So, everything sorted out then?" inquired Jack.

"Yep," replied the Doctor.

"What about the alien's ship. What did you do with it?"

"Oh, turned out it had an expander circuit fitted. The inside could expand slightly so the alien could fit in the ship. Bit like the TARDIS really, only much less sophisticated."

"But what did you do with it? I assume you didn't leave it hovering over a London council estate?"

"Well, if the inside could expand, it could also contract," explained the Doctor. "So I just shrank it until it vanished out of existence. And that meant that the outside disappeared too. Can't have an outside without an inside, after all"

"No, I suppose not," replied Jack. As always, the Doctor's explanation didn't make a lot of sense, but with the Doctor you just accepted what you were told and didn't ask too many questions.

"So, what exactly did you think you were doing back there?"

Once again, Jack was thrown off balance by the Doctor's abrupt change of subject. "Back where?" he asked, although he knew full well what the Doctor was referring to.

The Doctor gave Jack a look that said he was well aware that Jack knew exactly what he meant, and said nothing.

"Okay, so I was trying to save your life!" Jack exclaimed, a little annoyed. "So sue me. I won't bother next time if it's that much of a problem for you!"

"But why?" And Jack could see that the Time Lord was genuinely unsure as to the reason.

"Because I didn't want you to die, of course! Of all the stupid questions to ask!"

"But why didn't you want me to die?" And suddenly, just for a second, there was a trace of a smile on the Doctor's lips, and Jack knew he'd walked into a trap.

"Because…well…because…because I care about you, okay!" he exploded abruptly.

"Really?" asked the Doctor curiously.

"Yes, really!"

"Okay, okay, there's no need to get angry. I was just checking. I wouldn't want the kiss I'm about to give you to go to waste, after all."

"Wha…" began Jack, but he was cut off by the Doctor's lips on his own. The kiss went on for quite some time, and Jack would have been happy to let it go on for some time longer, except that there was a niggling little voice in the back of his head that was demanding some answers of its own. A little reluctantly, he broke away from the Doctor. The Time Lord made to close the gap again, but Jack held up a hand, blocking the Doctor's route.

"Wait a minute," said Jack. "It's not going to be that easy, you know," he continued. "One kiss does not erase what you said, or explain what's going on here. And I do want to know what is going on, Doctor. And there'll be no more kissing or 'anything' until I find out."

The Doctor sighed, looking a little put out. Then he appeared to decide that Jack did deserve explanation after all. Moving away from Jack, he leant against the console, as if for support.

"Okay, first, I'm sorry," he began. "And I know I've said that already, but I really do mean it. What I said about you is _not_ what I think about you. I know you better than that. But I was unwilling to admit that. You have to understand, Captain Harkness, that I've been around a lot longer than you. I've seen things that you wouldn't even want to imagine. I've watched my world be destroyed, knowing that it was my fault, and that after it was gone I would be all alone."

"But you're not all alone," interrupted Jack. "I'm here. And Rose." The Time Agent couldn't bear the infinite sadness he saw in the Doctor's eyes. It spoke of horrors witnessed beyond what anyone, let alone Captain Jack Harkness, could conceive of.

"But some part of me will always be alone, Jack," replied the Doctor. "You and Rose won't always be here. You're human. You won't live forever."

"Maybe not," Jack conceded. "But I'm not going to disappear right this second, you know. I do plan on being around for some time to come."

"And yet this afternoon you willingly faced death…for me. And if I in turn hadn't saved you, I would be just that little bit more lonely now."

"And how do you think I would have felt if you had died?" demanded Jack. "Do you think I wouldn't have been lonely too? And don't you dare say that I would have gotten over it," he added, before the Doctor could speak. "I may appear to be the 'moving on quickly' type but, as you said yourself, that's not the real me."

"I know," said the Doctor quietly. "And that's why I've changed my mind."

"Changed your mind about what?"

"About last night being a one night stand." A grin spread itself across the Doctor's face. "I'm tired of being alone, Jack. I need some 'human companionship', and you're the ideal candidate."

Jack grinned in return. "Well, I'm glad you can finally see that I have some valuable qualities," he said. "Although it has to be said that you bring out the best in me!"

"I wouldn't want anything less!" joked the Doctor, moving towards Jack again and sliding his arms around the Captain's waist. Then his eyes widened slightly. "And I can feel that one of the best parts of you is rising to the occasion."

Jack smiled cheekily and wiggled his hips, causing the Doctor's pupils to dilate suddenly and a flush to rise to his cheeks. Then abruptly he sobered. "You do know that I care, don't you, Doctor? This human companion isn't going to be leaving you anytime soon, I promise you that."

"I know, Jack," replied the Doctor softly. Then he grinned again. "Now, if we're done with all the mushy stuff, could we please get down to business?"

So saying, he leant forward and captured Jack's lips again, kissing him until there was no breath left in his body.

* * *

Jack groaned and rolled over. There was slight thud as he encountered an obstacle halfway across the mattress.

"Excuse me, but do you think you could refrain from trying to push me out of bed?"

The Time Agent opened his eyes to be met with the sight of the Doctor lying on his back, hands linked behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. As Jack groggily came to, he flicked his gaze away from whatever was so interesting above him, his eyes coming to rest on Jack.

"Surprised to find me still here?" he asked, smiling.

Jack smiled back. "A little," he confessed. "You must admit, your track record isn't great."

"Hey, we're looking at a fifty-fifty split here," the Doctor protested. "One time still here and one time not."

"Yeah, but from my point-of-view it was just 'one time not'," replied Jack. "You can't blame me for wondering."

"I guess not. Oh well, are you satisfied now? Or do you want to check if I'm actually real? Pinch me or something?"

Jack's grin widened, and a dangerous look appeared in his eyes. "I suppose I could pinch you," he mused. "But I can think of a much more interesting way to check if you're real or not…"

* * *

Rose, passing by Jack's door a few minutes later, paused and smiled at the sounds that were coming from within the room. She had suspected what was going on between those two, but knowing the Doctor as well as she did, and still not knowing Jack particularly well at all, she had been reluctant to bring up the subject, resorting instead to simply pushing the Doctor where he needed to go. And apparently he had finally got there.

Moving away from the door, Rose carried on down the corridor, glad that the Time Lord and Time Agent were finally still together in the morning.


End file.
